Verbena plant named ‘Suntapikopin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Suntapikopin’, characterized by its compact, upright to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and purple violet-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers held above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Verbena×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNTAPIKOPIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Suntapikopin’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and freely branchingVerbena plants with trailing plant habit and attractive flowercoloration.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 2004 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW410, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofVerbena×hybrida identified as code number T185-01-1, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2005has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suntapikopin’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Suntapikopin’ as a new and distinct cultivarof Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Purple violet-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers        held above and beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of theVerbena×hybrida ‘Suntapilabu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,595.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan,plants of the new Verbena differed primarily from plants of‘Suntapilabu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were not as broad as plants of        ‘Suntapilabu’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants        of ‘Suntapilabu’.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers with broader        petals than plants of ‘Suntapilabu’.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Suntapilabu’ differed slightly        in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Suntapikopin’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Suntapikopin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the early summer in 15-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and undercommercial practices. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C.Plants were four months old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida ‘Suntapikopin’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW410, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Verbena×hybrida identified as code number T185-01-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Initially upright, then outwardly            spreading to trailing growth habit; lateral branches            decumbent; freely branching habit, pinching enhances lateral            branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 8 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 27.1 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 14.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.        -   Texture—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Pinnately cleft.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coarse; pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C, venation, close to 144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 6.3 mm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in            hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face mostly upright;            flowers sessile; freely flowering habit with about 15            flowers per inflorescence and about 21 inflorescences per            plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            spring to late autumn in Japan; plants begin flowering about            four weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Depth (height): About            2 cm. Tube length: About 1.45 cm. Tube diameter: About 1.4            mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.            Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to N87A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal length: About 9 mm. Petal width: About 8.3 mm. Petal            lobe shape: Cordate. Petal lobe apex: Cordate. Petal lobe            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:            Close to N80A; towards the throat, close to 72A. Petal, when            opening, lower surface: Close to N82B. Petal, fully opened,            upper surface: Close to N80B; towards the throat, close to            72A; color becoming closer to N87D with development. Petal,            fully opened, lower surface: Close to N82C. Throat: Close to            155C. Tube: Close to 155C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower            with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.1 mm. Sepal            width: About 0.8 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.            Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close            to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.            Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 1.1 mm. Anther color: Close to            142A. Pollen amount: Scarce to none. Pistils: Quantity: One            per flower. Pistil length: About 12.6 mm. Stigma shape:            Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style color: Close            to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Fruits/seed: Fruit and            seed development have not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena    plants.

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Suntapikopin’ as illustratedand described.